Iftikhar ahmad

ODI World Cup: Skipper Babar Azam and middle-order batter Saud Shakeel struck half-centuries while Marco Jansen (3-42) and Tabraz Shamsi (4-60) as Pakistan were bundled out for a modest 270 by a strong South Africa in Match 26 of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday.

Electing to bat first, Pakistan were reduced to 38 for two as Jansen landed a couple of early blows sending back openers Abdullah Shafique (9) and Imam-ul-Haq (23) to the pavilion by the seventh over.

Skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (31) shared a 48-run partnership to take the score to 86 before Rizwan, who reached 2000 ODI runs became the third Pakistani wicketkeeper batter to do so, before edging one behind to Quinton de Kock off Gerald Coetzee (2-42). Iftikhar Ahmad (21) departed early but Babar continued to hold the fort as he completed his half-century in 64 balls, hitting 4 boundaries and one six.